US First Lady Michelle Obama, center, arrives prior to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on February 12, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

The political color palette for the State of the Union was set early this evening, as Vice President Joe Biden was seen sporting a purple tie. If red is for Republicans and blue is for Democrats, purple has become the go-to color for independents, with the subtext broadcasting “non-partisanship.”